After some time of sitting silently next to Legolas, Míriel left to find Éowyn. She knew the girl had taken Aragorn's parting badly since she was in love with him and so Míriel was worried about her. She spent quite some time trying to find Éowyn, asking others if they had seen her. Finally, Míriel arrived at the stables. A quiet sob made it quite clear that this was where Éowyn had been hiding. Míriel approached her slowly and frowned at the sight of the young fair-haired girl sitting along, crying so much that her shoulders were bobbing and her breathing was hitched. Míriel took a seat next to her.

"Éowyn," Míriel said softly and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, my friend. I know you cared deeply for Aragorn."

Éowyn managed to look Míriel in the eye. Her eyes were read and teary still and filled with pain for the man she had lost. Míriel had not quite grasped how much Éowyn cared for Aragorn until now.

Éowyn was quick to dry her tears with her sleeve and she blinked away the rest as soon as she realised that Míriel pitied her. Éowyn stood swiftly and brushed any dirt away from her dress, covering up any signs of grief.

"I'm sorry for my behaviour," Éowyn said and cleared her throat. "This is not the time to weep like a child. We must be strong, all of us."

Míriel frowned since she didn't want Éowyn to bottle her feelings up. She had been there for Míriel so many times already, now it was time to return the favour. Míriel stood as well and walked up to her friend.

"We must grieve as well," Míriel said and placed a hand on Éowyn's shoulder. "If we don't we go mad. It's good to cry - I have done it too."

What Míriel said made Éowyn smile - not a smile of happiness but of relief. She let all of her emotions out as tears once again began forming in her blue eyes. Éowyn let out a sob and embraced Míriel tightly, resting her face on Míriel's shoulder. The Elf-maiden tried biting back her own tears as she caressed Éowyn's hair gently. She wanted to be strong for her friend.

"Cry Éowyn, cry."

*

"You know I called him 'lad' all the time," Gimli said and smoked his pipe. Míriel turned toward him and raised her eyebrows. "But I suppose he wasn't that young for being a man. Almost ninety wasn't he?"

"Yes," Míriel said and nodded.

She had helped Éowyn to organise what supplies would go into the mines where the women and children would be sent if Saruman attacked. There was no use thinking that he wouldn't for he certainly would. Every weakness of the Helm needed to be discovered and dealt with so that Saruman had no advantages. How they wished Aragorn was there with them, for he was always so good at those things. Talking about him made Míriel less sad though, and she could not explain why.

"Tell me, how did he meet his Lady Arwen?" Gimli asked curiously.

"In Rivendell," Míriel said and with a gentle smile. "I can only tell it from Arwen's point of view. I remember that she had seen him and knew from the first moment that he was the man she was going to spend her life with, the man she would give her immortality for. You see, she is half-Elven so she is given a choice; either to remain immortal or to live a mortal life... She is not young anymore and so she has lingered with her choice, and her father desperately wants her to be immortal so he doesn't really approve of Aragorn... But I want her to follow her heart, even if it will not be easy... I don't know how she will take the news..."

When Arwen had first met Aragorn, she had told Míriel in a letter but avoided saying that he was a Man. Míriel had thought it to be an Elf and was very excited about it until she learnt that it was indeed Aragorn. That he was one of the Dunedaín helped, of course, he would live much longer than a normal Man, but she knew he would eventually die. Míriel could not say that she approved of their relationship immediately, she knew Arwen would be heartbroken when Aragorn died. Something changed when Míriel met him in Lothlórien again for the first time in many years for they immediately became friends.

"You don't have this choice?" Gimli asked and Míriel flinched.

"I think you've forgotten that I'm not an Elf at all, Gimli," Míriel said and chuckled. "But even if I weren't one of the Maiar, my kin aren't half-Elven."

Míriel couldn't blame Gimli for forgetting about her true nature, for she sometimes forgot as well. After everything that had happened the idea that Míriel was really a Maiar slipped her mind at times. It was easier to not think about it.

"Lady Míriel!" Gamling entered, a happy smile on his face as he looked at her. Míriel stood up and walked toward him, wondered what had happened. "Lord Aragorn. He has returned! He is alive!"

"What are you saying?" Míriel said and widened her eyes.

Her heart leapt out of her chest and she glanced back at Gimli who looked like he could barely believe it. Míriel didn't say another word, she rushed past Gamling and out of the hall. She almost jumped over the staircase and hurried as fast as she could toward the courtyard.

Finally, she saw a very dirty, tired man with his hair dripping and a large wound on his arm. Though it didn't look much like it - he was alive, Aragorn was alive. Míriel didn't know if she should have been crying or laughing with joy so she did both as she walked toward the ranger. Míriel had already thrown her arms around his torso tightly before he even realised that she was there.

"I am so mad," she mumbled and started laughing. "But I am so happy that you're alive my friend."

Míriel was mad at him for scaring her so much and letting her cry and mourn him. If he had just hurried up to get back none of them would have had to feel that way. At the same time, she was so very happy that he was alright and that they had been wrong. This man was more to the eye than what anyone could see, and she could not wait to follow him on the rest of the journey.

"I'm glad to see you as well Míriel," Aragorn said and smiled. He looked into her eyes and Míriel saw that he truly meant what he was saying. She wanted to hear everything about his travel there and how on earth he had survived the fall from the cliff. But Aragorn seemed to be in a hurry now.

"Will you take me to the King?"

"Of course," Míriel said and nodded. "But Legolas has to see you first, he has been so sad. He has the Evenstar - you lost it when you fell."

Aragorn smiled and nodded agreeingly. They walked together towards the main hall and met Legolas on the way. Míriel loved his reaction because he looked as though he doubted his own eyes. He looked astonished at Aragorn, was quiet for quite a while before finally smiling. Legolas was better at keeping his feelings obey than Míriel had been for sure.

Míriel left them alone since they had much to speak about and hurried to help Éowyn who had been working hard since their last conversation when Éowyn had been crying for Aragorn. She would be so happy to see that he was indeed alive and well.

Míriel placed her hand on Éowyn's shoulder to get her attention. Éowyn glanced up at her and raised her eyebrows wonderingly. Míriel nodded back at Aragorn, Éowyn frowned confused but turned her head towards his way. Her eyes widened and she started hurrying towards him. Míriel could see the tears of happiness in her eyes, but she stopped when she saw Legolas placing the Evenstar in Aragorn's hand. Míriel knew that this must have reminded Éowyn that Aragorn loved another.

"I will speak to him later," Éowyn said and swallowed. "We have much to do and so does he."

Míriel let Éowyn be and followed Legolas and Aragorn into the hall where Théoden was expecting them. Aragorn opened the doors by himself and stepped inside, and as soon as he did everyone in the hall turned his way and widened their eyes in shock. They had all thought him to be gone, dead forever. A miracle had saved his life and saved Rohan from standing without him.

"A great herd you say?" Théoden said and turned around when Aragorn had uttered the words.

Aragorn had just finished telling them how he had awoken alone on a shore, wounded and tired. A horse had been there, a horse from Rohan that they had released earlier before leaving for Helm's Deep. The horse bore him all the way to the Hornburg but on the way, Aragorn had seen an army of Uruk-hai on their way to attack. Aragorn had endured this journey alone to warn them all of what was coming for them. Míriel almost felt as though it was meant for Aragorn to have been lost in the fight, or else they wouldn't know of these awful news.

"All Isengard is emptied," said Aragorn and Míriel gasped.

The mere thought that Míriel belonged to the same race as someone so malicious as Saruman disgusted her, and Míriel wondered if she would ever come to face the Wizard again. Would she even recognise him anymore or had he changed too much? The Saruman that Míriel had known did not kill children or anyone at all in fact. He was a protector of Middle-earth, someone that they had trusted to be like Gandalf. Well, the White Wizard had proved time after time that he was a snake and that he no longer deserved the title of Protector.

"How many?" Théoden asked Aragorn.

"Ten thousand strong at least."

This was not good news. There was no way that the men of Rohan could fight ten thousand Uruk-hai, there was not enough of them. Théoden had barely four hundred men since they had lost many when the Wargs attacked them and even more as the Orcs had burned a lot of villages to the ground. Though the Helm was filled with people they would not be able to scrape together more than a few men. Most were too old, and even if the women fought there would still not be enough men to fight Saruman's forces.

"Ten thousand?" Théoden said and by the tone of his voice Míriel suspected that even he was frightened.

Perhaps now the King had started to realise that he had made a mistake by taking his people to Helm's Deep, perhaps it had been better to do as Gandalf and Aragorn had suggested in the beginning. Though much stood against them, they could not give up yet for there had to be some solution. Rohan could call for aid - they were not the only realm that had a cause to stop Saruman and Sauron.

"It is an army bred for a single purpose," Aragorn said. "To destroy the world of Men. They will be here by nightfall."

Théoden turned his back to them all and started walking out of the hall without a word to Aragorn. The King did not seem frightened anymore by the large number of Uruk-hai that he was soon going to face, he was instead decisive and stubborn to believe that they could survive. It was all well that he had not given up, they needed a strong leader and it was pleasing to see that King Théoden was indeed one.

"Let them come," he said.

Gimli, Aragorn, Legolas and Míriel followed the King out of the hall and out into the fresh air. Outside one could never guess that war was moving closer toward them, for the children were playing in the streets as usual and laughter was heard from women and men. None of them knew the great dangers closing in on them, and that they most likely would not live through the night.

"I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms to be ready for battle by nightfall," said Théoden to Gamling and patted his shoulder.

They walked through the crowd and out of the gate. Théoden seemed strangely positive and not at all frightened. It was perhaps good for the leader to be confident, but not naive. If Théoden did not realise the danger, they could be in larger trouble than what they had previously thought.

"We will cover the court way and the gate from above," Théoden showed them. "No army has ever breached the Deeping wall or set foot at the Hornburg."

"This is no rabble of mindless Orc," said Gimli whilst leaning against his axe. "These are Uruk-hai. Their armour is thick and their shields broad."

"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf," said Théoden and stepped closer to Gimli. "I know how to defend my own keep."

They started walking away from the bridge and into the keep again, Gimli's words hanging in the air. Théoden seemed to forget that the Dwarf and the rest of the fellowship had fought the Uruk-hai while he had not. His soldiers did not know how to fight them, for it was Éomer's Éored that had defeated them, not Théoden. Therefore it would have been wise to listen to Gimli, but Aragorn had given Gimli a pat on the shoulder that hinted that it was worth listening to Théoden's plan first.

They walked up toward the towers where banners were held on the sidelines. It was there that the archers would stand and aim to cut down as many Uruk-hai as possible.

"They will break upon this fortress like water on rock," said Théoden. "Saruman's herd will pillage and burn, we have seen it before. Crops can be resown, homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them."

His words were enough to worry Aragorn to the point of speaking up. What Théoden was saying was most definitely wrong for he seemed to believe that the Uruk-hai's mission was friendlier than what it really was. The King expected to hide in the keep for weeks perhaps, and that the Uruks would not touch them.

"They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages," Aragorn said and stopped right before Théoden. "They come to destroy its people, down to the last child."

Théoden grabbed a hold of Aragorn's shirt and pulled him closer all of the sudden. "What would you have me do? Look at my men! Their courage hangs by a thread! If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end, as to be worthy of remembrance."

He let Aragorn go with those words and turned around. This showed them that Théoden did know what was coming, but he also knew that almost all hope was gone for his people. It was sad really, and Míriel glanced at Legolas who seemed quite discouraged as well.

"Send out riders, my Lord," said Aragorn and made Théoden turn again. "You must call for aid."

"And who will come?" Théoden asked. "Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead."

Míriel would have wanted to think that her people would come riding for Rohan's aid, but unfortunately, she was not convinced of that. For long the Elves had acted in an almost unconcerned way towards what was happening in Middle-earth since many felt that it was not their business anymore. What was the use of spending lives when they were all leaving for a place that did not have any wars of misery? By staying, Míriel and Legolas were quite unique for their kin.

"Gondor will answer," Aragorn said confidently, still convinced that there were other Realms of Men that could stand by Rohan's side in this.

"Gondor?" Théoden said angrily. The mere thought of the Kingdom of Gondor angered him, for he had experienced more than one disappointment from the Steward Denethor, son of Ecthelion. "Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us? Where was Gon... No, my Lord Aragorn, we are alone... Now there is no time, war is upon us."

*

The women and children were to head to the caves for safety against the forces of Isengard. The soldiers of Rohan grabbed young men - children even - and forced them to fight, taking them from their families as well as old men that had seen too many wars already. Even with the young boys and elderly men, there were not enough people to come out of this battle in success. If Aragorn was right, which he probably was, they were all going to die before the night ended.

Aragorn was giving orders to the men how to set the fortress up for defence the best possible way. He had taken the lead of this battle, where he belonged - to help the people of Rohan as he had promised Gandalf.

"We'll place the reserves along the wall," Aragorn said and pointed in the way that he meant. Míriel followed his gaze and nodded slowly. Not that she knew much of battle strategy, she usually just killed as many Orcs as she could. "They can support the archers from above the gate."

"Aragorn, you must rest," said Legolas to Aragorn. "You are no use to us half alive."

"I will be fine, Legolas," responded Aragorn.

He did not seem to have any plans to rest even if he looked terrible. He had cuts over his body, and Míriel had never seen any hair look so filthy before. Even Gimli seemed cleaner than Aragorn, but Gimli had not been rolling around in a lake after being dragged by a warg after all.

"Aragorn!" The voice of the fair-haired maiden was heard and she came hurrying through the crowd towards them. Éowyn stopped before them with terror in her eyes as she was very upset with something, Míriel frowned and wondered if something had happened to her.

"I am to be sent with the women into the caves."

"That is an honourable charge," Aragorn said to her.

Personally Míriel did not agree with Aragorn since she knew it was an excuse to make Éowyn stay away from the battle. They needed soldiers though and Éowyn was not a bad one, she would be a good swordswoman. Éowyn was not experienced though, and it was understandable that Théoden wanted her out of harm's way. If things went badly, the women and children needed a leader and that would be Éowyn. She had already proven herself to be up for that task.

"To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return?" Éowyn frowned and shook her head. She did not agree with Aragorn either and wanted to fight in this battle, fight for her land and for her people. "What renown is there in that?"

"My lady, a time may come for valour without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defence?" Aragorn said to encourage her but it did not work. Éowyn seemed even sadder than she had before because she had wished that Aragorn had asked her to stay and fight instead.

"Let me stand at your side," she pleaded to him.

"It is not in my power to command it," Aragorn said softly and shook his head. Míriel saw that Aragorn was in a very uncomfortable situation because Éowyn was trying to force Aragorn to make a decision instead of the King. Théoden would be furious if Aragorn allowed Éowyn to fight without his consent. Aragorn turned to walk away but Éowyn was not finished.

"You do not command the others to stay!" she yelled. "They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you. Because they love you."

Míriel grabbed Legolas hand and drew him away - this was not for them to listen to. Legolas looked confused at Míriel who just gave him a glance. For being a very clever Elf, he could be a little slow when it came to social situations like these. Legolas gave Míriel a very wondering look and she had to remind herself to talk to him about this later. Perhaps he had not even noticed that Aragorn had an admirer.

Míriel waited until Éowyn had left Aragorn before she and Legolas joined the ranger once again. By the sight of Éowyn's slumped shoulders, as she walked away, Míriel guessed that whatever she said to Aragorn did not work.